Mark Meynell

Q Marks the Spot 202 (March 2026 Treasure Map)

Sacred Treasure I'd heard a fair bit about Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong democracy activist. But I'd not had a clue about his faith. Remarkable.  Bruce Milne was a stalwart of publishers IVP - here is a tribute to him after he died in 2025. Jam Cary on the…

Groping for Words on the 4th Anniversary of Ukraine’s Invasion Today is a day for lament. Perhaps it's appropriate that it comes on the first Tuesday in Lent. I'm lost for words. There are those there who know so much more about its significance. And of course, so much more about its agony. But I will point to two things that have resulted from much talking and sharing with friends in recent days.

Groping for Words on the 4th Anniversary of Ukraine’s Invasion

Today is a day for lament. Perhaps it's appropriate that it comes on the first Tuesday in Lent. I'm lost for words. There are those there who know so much more about its significance. And of course, so much more about its agony. But I…

Q Marks the Spot 201 (February 2026 Treasure Map) Sacred Treasure John Dickson has an apology to make to his students. Perhaps Josephus said more than people assume he said. Very good stuff. Love this: Michael Jensen on what he learned from JS Bach, the worship director. The style isn't necessarily everybody's cup of tea, but I do respect the project and desire of Full of Eyes online media)

The first Q #TreasureMap of 2026 - bumper edition with lots of goodies from Bach to Hollywood, Mark Carney to Euripides, and the Mr Men to Alcaraz

My top Reads from 2025

Believe it or not, I've been given a hard time for producing my annual top reading too late (you know who you are). So I've been stung into action as a preemptive strike. A brief rundown of my favourite books from 2025: essentially those I awarded 5* on my Goodreads…

Q Marks the Spot 200 (December 2025 Treasure Map)

Crikey - here we are at TWO HUNDRED TREASURE MAPS... Can't quite believe it. But there you go... misspent idling does have some benefits... Sacred Treasure Ben Palpant rereleases his conversation with Anglo-American poet Luci Shaw who has…

Q Marks the Spot 199 (November 2025 Treasure Map)

The last couple of months have been nuts so I've not even had the chance to crack on with new treasure maps. Various links have been piling up so here's a mega-bumper stash... Sacred Treasure Philip Yancey tells the story of Ernest Gordon, a…

Q Marks the Spot 198 (August 2025 Treasure Map) Sacred Treasure Jeremy Begbie on cracking form on what makes JSBach's music so revolutionary: the feeling of life in this world as a believer Remarkable letter from Albert Einstein to his 11 year old son about the secret to learning. Jessie Tang on why 'colourblindness' doesn't help the church. (HT Chris Howles) Just love this: practical missiological applications from the archaeology of the 7 Churches of Asia Minor…

Q Marks the Spot 198 (August 2025 Treasure Map)

Sacred Treasure Jeremy Begbie on cracking form on what makes JSBach's music so revolutionary: the feeling of life in this world as a believer Remarkable letter from Albert Einstein to his 11 year old son about the secret to learning. Jessie Tang on…

Q Marks the Spot 197 (June 2025 Treasure Map) In the air; on the ground; under the water - some sights, wonders, joys and fascinations of the world in the June Treasure Map

Q Marks the Spot 197 (June 2025 Treasure Map)

In the air; on the ground; under the water - some sights, wonders, joys and fascinations of the world in the June Treasure Map

Triptych Ep 8 | A Rock, A Mother’s Yellow Wallpaper, and a Local Hero What happens when a desperately ill new mother encounters Paul Simon's Rock, and ends up fully immersed in a remote Scottish fishing village.

What happens when a desperately ill new mother encounters Paul Simon's Rock, and ends up fully immersed in a remote Scottish fishing village.

Triptych Ep 7 | Through Black Mirror to Lake Street Dive, pursued by Derek Walcott When dystopian Soldiers in Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror, come face to face with Love after Love, and environmental collapse in Making Do

Triptych Ep 7 | Through Black Mirror to Lake Street Dive, pursued by Derek Walcott

When dystopian Soldiers in Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror, come face to face with Love after Love, and environmental collapse in Making Do

Triptych Ep 6 | WH Auden, Wassily Kandinsky, Snarky Puppy What happens when WH Auden informs Vassily Kandinsky about a trip to a Belgian Art Museum and then meets Snarky Puppy... it all kicks off here!

Episode 6 of @triptychpod has dropped! What happens when #WHAuden informs #WassilyKandinsky about a trip to a Brussels Fine Art Museum and meets #SnarkyPuppy in the process... it all kicks off here!

Q Marks the Spot 196 (May 2025 Treasure Map) Sacred Treasure Harvey Kwiyani is always worth reading. He's on a roll; perhaps start here: We have a new Constantine in Town; and then US Imperialism, Evangelicalism and Christian Mission (pt1) What a breathtaking testimony: 40 days in God's Dojo with a Nagasaki Survivor  Michael Kruger on whether the Resurrection of Jesus is likely or unlikely? Inspiring account of…

Q Marks the Spot 196 (May 2025 Treasure Map)

Sacred Treasure Harvey Kwiyani is always worth reading. He's on a roll; perhaps start here: We have a new Constantine in Town; and then US Imperialism, Evangelicalism and Christian Mission (pt1) What a breathtaking testimony: 40 days in God's Dojo with…

Q Marks the Spot 195 (April 2025 Treasure Map) Sacred Treasure Iintriguing: obviously guesstimates but a fascinating exercise. How much did Paul's Missionary Journeys cost? (HT Chris Howles) Speaking trade languages when working cross-culturally? Why Tolkien hated Frank Herbert's Dune Ian Paul offers a good overview of why there is growing consensus that Jesus regularly taught in Greek Speaking of language, my friend and fmr boss Paul Windsor has some Maori language lessons for us. The 21 is a remarkable short film about the 21 Coptic Martyrs beheaded by ISIS in 2015. Here's a short trailer:

Q Marks the Spot 195 (The #TreasureMap for April 2025): all. kinds of goodies including important stuff from #TimothySnyder #MattCampau and #IanPaul amongst many others

Triptych Ep 4 | Tamlins, Marina Abramović, Lives of Others What ensues when a classic Jamaican group covers a Randy Newman song and then chats with Serbian artist Marina Abramović and an East German Stasi officer...

Just dropped: Triptych ep 4! A Jamaican classic from #TheTamlins, meets the phenomenon that is Serbian performance artist #MarinaAbramović, all while being surveilled by the #Stasi in #TheLivesofOthers. What's not to love?!

Triptych Ep 3 | Tchaikovsky, Stony Ground, GenX What sort of conversation would ensure if Tchaikovsky encounters a Jamaican photographer and Douglas Coupland's GenXers...

It's Triptych Episode 3! What might ensue if Tchaikovsky encountered a Jamaican photographer and Douglas Coupland's GenXers...

Quite the rollercoaster but glad to have a chance to address theological questions about #ukraineinvasion on #warandpolitics24
- www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqau...

Q Marks the Spot 194 (March 2025 Treasure Map) Bit of a bumper list this month, having dropped last month's (oops). Sacred Treasure This will be of interest only to a few, but Ian Paul's analysis of Justin Welby's legacy as Archbishop of Canterbury is hard-hitting and (from my rather remote perspective) convincing. Caitlin Flanagan on Seamus Heaney and her father Tom's close friendship. V moving - and hopefully still outside the paywall. Graham Tomlin is on cracking form these days: spot on about the recent spat between VP Vance and Rory Stewart fascinating on Trump is the new Constantine but he's no Saviour…

Q Marks the Spot 194 (March 2025 Treasure Map)

Bit of a bumper list this month, having dropped last month's (oops). Sacred Treasure This will be of interest only to a few, but Ian Paul's analysis of Justin Welby's legacy as Archbishop of Canterbury is hard-hitting and (from my rather remote…

Pray for Ukraine YouTube video by MarkMeynell

In the light of the insanity that seems to have gripped the #OvalOffice it’s time to revisit this little piece I made a year after #Putin’s invasion of #Ukraine
Then reflect on the fact that it is THREE years on now

youtu.be/CXZrMj7nEwQ?...

Triptych Ep 2 | Billie, Zurbarán, Andor Triptych Ep 2 | Billie Eilish: What was I made for? Francisco de Zurbarán: St Luke at the Cross Star Wars' Andor: Series 1

Triptych Ep 2 is OUT! When
#BillieEilish meets Francisco de #Zurbarán and join the cast of Star Wars' #Andor. Join us and spread the word!

The first ever episode of the brand new podcast TRIPTYCH: 3 friends discuss 3 masterpieces to see what they help us learn about the world

5&1 #36: Shtetl: Jewish Europe’s Eradicated East On 27th January 1945, the death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated. Nobody could have had any illusions about Nazi anti-semitism because its policies had been explicit about it long before attaining power in 1933.

5&1 #36: Shtetl: Jewish Europe’s Eradicated East

On 27th January 1945, the death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated. Nobody could have had any illusions about Nazi anti-semitism because its policies had been explicit about it long before attaining power in 1933.

A link to my recent piece for @CTmagazine essay on teaching #CSLewis in Ukraine

Shtetl: Jewish Europe's Eradicated East—5&1 Classical Playlist #36 Classical music to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

For this #HolocaustMemorialDay I've written a #clasicalplaylist in my 5&1 series for #therabbitroom to commemorate the extraordinarily vibrant and rich world that was brutally wiped out
#antisemitism #neveragain #schindlerslist #fiddlerontheroof

www.rabbitroom.com/post/shtetl-...

Working on it!!

Read the latest issue of @christianitytoday.com. You'll love @drmoore.bsky.social's discussion of his book club, @markmeynell.bsky.social on Lewis + Ukraine, and @jenwilkin.bsky.social on aging + scripture. I wrote an article on Blue Like Jazz, + even provide a recipe in the opening Editorial Note!

I can only assess books of the yr once over! So voilà: 2024 faves! HT @okhromeychuk.bsky.social @harkaway.bsky.social
#TimBlanning #TobiasBuck #LeifEnger @dannythefink.bsky.social @peterpomerantsev.bsky.social
#alexandraharris @achristiemiller.bsky.social etc!

www.markmeynell.net/2025/01/10/m...

Better late than never! The first #TreasureMap of 2025

www.markmeynell.net/2025/01/09/q...

Longing for the light: music for Advent—5&1 Classical Playlist #35 Mark Meynell walks us through a short classical playlist for Advent. These pieces deal with the theme of light and darkness.

Yup. It’s still #Advent so here’s latest #5and1 #ClassicalPlaylist with some real treasures here for @TheRabbitRoom

www.rabbitroom.com/post/longing...
A companion to www.rabbitroom.com/post/it-s-ha...

First ever Bsky post - here we are. #TreasureMap 192 - with all kinds of goodies to enjoy...